10 'breathtaking' photos of our galaxy from the 2024 Milky Way Photographer of the Year contest

The Milky Way has long fascinated humanity, covering the night sky with its familiar constellations and dense streams of stars. The full beauty of our galaxy is hard to see with the naked eye, but with the help of modern cameras, photographers can capture it in vibrant detail.

The annual Milky Way Photographer of the Year comPetition showcases awe-inspiring images that bring the greatness of our celestial home into view. Here, we explore our breathtaking galaxy through the lens of this year's winners.

"Lightning lake" — Tom Rae

The bold ribbon of the Milky Way parts the sky as it strikes the peak of Aoraki / Mount Cook, the highest mountain in New Zealand. Tom Rae journeyed through a glacial valley to capture the glowing sky against the cyan-blue lake and icy terrain on a winter night. 

"Lions den" — Lorenzo Ranieri Tenti

Lorenzo Ranieri Tenti took this captivating image of the multicolored hues of the Milky Way in the night sky. This image was taken at a mountain lion reserve in the Atacama Desert in Chile — home to several astronomical telescopes, including the forthcoming Vera C. Rubin Observatory, as well as cougars (Puma concolor).

"Atmospheric fireworks" — Julien Looten 

As if taken in the center of a bubble, this panoramic image captures the entire arc of the Milky Way alongside a stunning airglow that lights up the night sky in the southwest of France.

Julien Looten took and merged panoramic photos of 40 different exposures to capture the multicolored bands. "This natural phenomenon occurs due to a chemical reaction in the upper atmosphere, emitting faint light known as chemiluminescence," Looten said in a statement.

Related: Some of the oldest stars in the universe found hiding near the Milky Way's edge — and they may not be alone